Built: Kiba Inuzuka
by Self'Titled
Summary: Kiba and Misora are close friends who enjoy getting at each other's throats. The two fight like a married couple, but threaten anyone who dares say that. They're a strange pair and fit together well, but their stories missing their happy ending. KibaXOC
1. One: Hostile

Early afternoon with the birds chirping, waves crashing on the rocks below, a gently cool breeze that carried the scent of the sea; it was such a calm day that relaxed the soul and helped one forget all the troubles in life. It was the morning after a terrible sea storm, but now the skies were clear. The ground was still mud from all the heavy rain, but the earthy scent made you forget the fact that mud is coating your shoes. Children ran along the pier, anglers were pulling away from the docks, and one larger ship was being pack for its journey across the sea.

One brunette yawn loudly, stretching his arms, enjoying the breeze that hit him once his jacket had been tossed onto the pier. "Man, 'cause of that storm I couldn't sleep. And sure sucks that today we gotta go; today's a perfect day for a day off."

"Shut up, we'll be on a boat." A blonde barked a few meters away, sitting on a crate, and checking at a wound on her arm.

"What bit you in the ass?" Kiba asked, only half turning to look at the girl. Though his attention was caught by another as one girl down the pier stripped out of her kimono so she was in swimwear – a diver.

"Mind your own." The blonde muttered before storming off, not before sending daggers at the man she called a friend. She heard his mutter something to his dog, but only scoffed, knowing many things he could've just said. She walked toward the ship that was being loaded, her bangs constantly shifting with the wind and her flimsy kimono only aggravated her more. Two kids ran by, nearly knocking her down if she didn't move at the last second. "Don't drown!" She yelled at them still walking but with her head looking over her shoulder. Since she didn't pay attention she did bump into one of the ships crewmen, only earning a nasty growl when the crate he had came tumbling down and apples rolled about.

Misora sighed and ran her fingers through her short hair as she walked away. 'Get your head straight, idiot. There's nothing to be worried about.' A yell came from down the pier when one of the two kids from earlier slipped into the cold water, and didn't know how to swim. Only hearing what sounded like 'help' and some name, Misora ran over.

She froze when the kid was splashing about, trying to swim and reach for his friends hand, but they were seven at the most, and still short little fella's. "The hell 'Sora?" Kiba yelled as he dropped to his knees by the one kid who was on the pier, and reached for the other. He pulled him up and patted his back to help him get the water out of his lungs as Misora finally began to focus again. Kiba was yelling at her, people were looking over, and Naruto had finally joined them, completely unaware of the situation and grinning like a fool. "-What's the matter with you?" was the last thing they all heard from Kiba before the silence fell over there.

Misora's hair covered her eyes; otherwise, Kiba would've seen the fear and shock in them right before she vanished in a cloud of smoke.

Kiba growled as he stood up to storm down the pier, on a hunt to find that blonde.

Naruto was left alone, dumbfound and clueless about it all.

Misora was on in the town, about a mile from the docks and the sea. The town they were in was on top of a hill so the waves couldn't reach their homes or streets during brutal storms. The blonde was at the path that led directly downhill to the docks and just stared at the ship she would be on some point today. It wouldn't be long until her and her team would be aboard, staring at the horizon, surrounded by nothing but blue.

She estimated her time before the ship would set sail. About half an hour or so and things should be back on track and everybody could start enjoying the beautiful day. There was a shop Misora had passed yesterday with Kiba and Naruto when they first arrived, the day they were supposed to set sail. The day was humid and dark, thunder echoed yet no rained poured, the wind was strong – it was obvious a storm was to come. People were already closing up shops to head home, fully aware of what was to come, though one stayed open and the scent of grilled fished lingered in the streets before the wind took it away.

The girl had found it again, though this time the place was alive unlike the last time she looked it. People were eating and laughing, waitresses were tending to the filled tables, and cooks were going wild.

"Welcome!" One waitress called as she placed plates of food in front of men who looked to be like a construction crew, "I'll be with you in a minute!"

Misora took that as an answer to whether she should go in or not and have some grub. There was one empty table along the wall so she called it her own. Menus were on the table so she skimmed through it, looking for some dumplings. To her delight, dangos were on the list, along with all sorts of meaty servings.

Though when she looked in her wallet, limitations were put on her delight.

When the perky waitress came over, Misora went with the top three she could afford – dumplings, _, and green tea. She still had to wait for the meal, but had tea to hold her over and that was good enough for her. She had finally calm down and got her thoughts in order and began cursing to herself about how noisy one restaurant could be so early in the day. As her eyes looked at all the faces, her thoughts began to change. This was a village with not a single Shinobi.

They dealt with the crimes in the town on their own, but there was little of that. This was just a peaceful town, thriving off the sea the lived by, and completely unaware of the life of a ninja. Of course, they knew one when they saw one, after all, they turned their heads, trying to see the difference between them and the Shinobi.

In the restaurants, the construction workers glanced at Misora from time to time, wondering how such a slim girl could have strength – these men had muscle, they were probably sailors as well, it made no sense to them.

Misora turned her head from them and played with her cup, dragging her finger along the rim, and frowning at how hot it was. Boredom was taking over and she thought of her home – two people coming to mind. 'I should carry a book around more, like Kakashi-sensei and Sai do. I can also whack people with it.' She smiled to herself. An image of Naruto smacking Sai with his own book flashed through her mind, causing the girl to chuckle. She wouldn't admit to it, but they sure made her smile.

But her smile fell just as quickly as it showed, she still had a problem on her hands. Her order was placed in front of her, and she said her thanks, but it finally it her – she had no appetite. Misora just stared at the food, cursing herself for troubling people to make it when it may just go to waste.

Kiba was storming through the streets, looking for Misora's scent as Akamaru did the same by his masters side. It wasn't just today that Misora was screwing up. For the past three days, she'd space out, get lost, react late in a fight – hell, she nearly lost her arm the other day. Never before had she been like this, she was always on guard and move at the last second when being attacked, but she'd never be hit; it's just who she was. Yet a kid is drowning and she just stares.

Along with her distant mind, she had been hostile to both Naruto and Kiba. Snapping at them for no reason, ignoring them and wandering off on her own – things weren't right. Misora wasn't this kind of bitch, not even on her period.

And Kiba was determined to put her in her place.


	2. Two: Embarrassed

"Wait out here, Akamaru." Kiba told his canine partner, who obediently laid down outside the restaurant the two knew Misora was in. They had found her scent at the top of the path, right where the town ended and followed it to the only store they saw open the night before. Kiba went in, his eyes scanning the place for the kunoichi, and ignoring the waitress that greeted him. "There you are!"

Misora's head shot up at the familiar voice and wide eyes stared at Kiba who stomped over to her table. It wasn't only a Misora who stared at him, but a few others as well. "What are you-" the blonde started, but couldn't finish.

"What is going on with you, Sora?" He asked, sitting down across from her. "You've been acting strange for this whole mission and don't say it's nothing; I know you better then that."

Misora pursed her lips and glared off to the side, at the wall. "Never expect to get this from you of all people." She grumbled under her breath as she rested her chin in her hand. "Here," she said a bit louder, pushing the plate of beef sukiyaki towards him, "I'm not all that hungry."

"Don't ignore me!" Now she looked at him. "What is going on?"

"You know, I wanna punch you more then I wanna punch Ino when she starts talking shit to me."

"This is exactly what I mean; you've been like this to me and Naruto. What are you finally goanna snap and attack us, Sora? If you don't wanna be here, then go home! Me and Naruto can handle this and that way, you won't be pissed off." Kiba barked, which could only lead to the two bickering like a married couple even more.

"Who said I wanted to be here, Kiba?" Misora snapped back, raising her voice for the first time at him.

"Tsunade gave you a choice!"

"I didn't have one!" Kiba opened his mouth, ready to fire back, but Misora already knew his question. "Unlike you, I don't have a family to come home to where there's food in the fridge. I have to make money, Kiba. I have to feed myself, pay bills because I told Lady Tsunade I can handle it, and all that other crap. And right now, I'm broke. I wasted all my money, again and this mission _pays_."

Kiba broke a pair of chopsticks and poked at the meat. He forgot Misora was living on her own, just like Naruto, but it still didn't explain why she was in such a bad mood. "Alright, but then why're you so pissed? You're acting the same way you did when I…ya' know." He muttered, looking down at the food before him.

"Don't. Bring that up." Misora pressed. "And it's my own business why I'm like this." She sipped her tea and Kiba popped a piece of meat in his mouth. A silence fell over the two, making the situation a bit tense, but their nerves had calmed down.

"Is everything alright?" One waitress stopped and ask, a bit uneasily.

"We're fine." The two answered together.

Misora finally decided to eat a dumpling and Kiba asked the waitress for some tea. When the girl walked away, Kiba took that chance to say, "Naruto saw how you looked when the Hokage said we'd be sailing across the sea," quietly enough for only Misora to hear. Kiba noticed how she tensed and knew that what Naruto said must have been true. She was scared.

"I don't know what you're talking about." She quickly said, trying to look calm, but it was clear she was worrying.

"I don't get it, Sora. I _know_ you're not scared of water. Is it boats?" He asked casually, in hopes of calming her down.

"Kiba, let's not talk about this."

"Yeah, they sink, but what's the big deal?" Or in hopes of scaring her more.

"Kiba…"

"And the way the sway, back and forth, back and forth, is actually pretty soothing." He continued to press on.

"Kiba."

"And during a storm? That's when things get fun! The deck gets all slippery, waves start knocking people over board, the boat nearly flips-"

"It's the damn water, alright?" Misora yelled, stunning Kiba and causing the rest of the people to fall silent. The waitress had come back with Kiba's tea, and placed it down slowly, glancing between the wide-eyed male and flustered girl. "I'm scared of water…" Misora muttered once the waitress left.

"But we went swimming that one day an-"

"Large bodies of water, alright?" She quickly said, praying for this conversation to end. "They just freak me out." Kiba sat there in surprise, letting the news soak in before he said something. Misora looked away when nothing came out of him, embarrassed by her fear.

"I don't get it." Kiba murmured. "You have problem with the lake and the river, but why the ocean?"

Now it was Misora who poked at her dumplings. Never before had she said this to somebody, not even to the Hokage. "Most are my jutsus are fire based and water beats fire. The ocean is never ending water jutsus for the enemy, so there'll be no point in me even trying to use a jutsus out there. Plus, I'm not…" the rest, she grumbled behind a dumpling pressed to her lips before she swallowed it whole.

"What was that?" Kiba asked, leaving forward with a smirk on his face. She was going red.

"I'm not the greahmmm pftderp." Another dumpling.

"Stop eating so much, I can't understand you." He said, grabbing the plate of dumplings and quickly pulling them from her reach when she tried to get them back. He took the tea as well.

Misora stood up, slamming her hands on the table, and yelled, "I drown easily!" With that, she stormed out of the restaurant, leaving everybody confused.

Kiba stayed back, cracking up as the image of Misora's bright red cheeks stayed in his mind. Never. Had she blushed or been so embarrassed. Her cool and calm shell had been broken, all because of water.

Akamaru's head flew up when Misora stormed by and he stood up, waiting to see his Kiba was going to follow. He heard his master laughing and whined in confusion of what to do.

Naruto was still at the docks, helping load the ship with the Captain cursing the boy for getting up so late. Every time he had a mission with Kiba and Misora, he was always the one dealing with the back breaking work.


	3. Three: Hurt

"This would happen right when we're back home." Misora grumbled under her breath before her eyes went wide and she jumped out of her hiding spot, a large axe striking the tree she was leaning on that would have split her in half. She flipped in the air, fire spewing from her mouth to the man who tried to cut her down. The man dodge and Misora landed a broken tree that another man had destroyed.

Kiba cut his way past her, aiming for another man with Akamaru coming from the other side. Fang over fang was a miss as the man sprang to his left, aiming for Misora as his partner went for Kiba and Akamaru. Naruto was about a mile away and still moving further, trying to escape two men that were hot on his trail. Why? They didn't know.

Five men and one women had just sprang from the trees, but Akamaru and Kiba were fully aware of the ambush that was about to happen. They were strong, but their strategy was weak. Only several minutes into the fight, one man and the women vanished from sight. The jutsus they used allowed them to enter trees and appear from any where they wished. The ones being attacked had no idea where to look and every so often they'd get hit by someone jumping out of a tree trunk or springing from the ground.

As Naruto ran, he tried to think of a way back. The two men –Ikuto and Ginn apparently- were forcing Naruto to leave his teammates behind; the plan of theirs coming together at last. When the two split ways, Naruto was frantically looking from left to right to the grinning men who stared him down with bloodlust twinkling in their eyes. Up ahead there was a lake, but Naruto knew little of the area they were in.

When the trees ended and all he saw was the steady water, he let himself go under. Ikuto and Ginn waited at the surface him the boy to coming gasping up for air. One way or another, the plan they had would work in whatever situation they were placed in at this point. Though Naruto had a trick up his sleeve.

Like always, he made two clones and they went separate ways. One went behind Ginn, and the other went behind Ikuto, both slowly and silently rising from the water. "Behind you!" Both the enemies yelled, at the sight of the clone, but neither was prepared for the kunai pressed to their throat. Like lightening, the two reacted, ripping the clones arm away from them, spinning around, and sending a hard punch.

The smoke only confused them more. They could've sworn one would be the real boy. Though Naruto was gone from the waters and heading back towards his teammates. The path before him was clear, but in the blank of an eye the man who slipped into nature was in Naruto's path, ready to take him down.

Kiba had the remaining two men trapped between himself and Akamaru, back to back. "Find Naruto!" He ordered to his teammate, but she refused, saying Naruto could handle himself. "So can we; GO!" At the same moment, Kiba and Akamaru began their attack. There was no way Misora could help at this point; she was invisible to the group now. After a pause, she took off. She knew Kiba could handle himself and Naruto could do the same, but there were two freaks moving in the trees and dirt and neither knew how to sence peoples chakras.

She was still a rookie herself when it came to sensing other people chakras, but she could still do it if she could focus. She stopped a good distance away from Kiba's battle and decided to see if she could pick anything up. She was on the ground, kneeling in the open. What good would it do to hide if the enemy can come from right under your feet?

And so she did.

It suddenly hit Misora. That girl that slipped away came from the ground, about a foot in front of Misora, but this time she stayed in view. The girl had a katana that aimed for Misora who knelt in front of her, but she moved and ran at the last chance she had. She didn't run from the fight, her body wouldn't allow it. She was in pain.

"You're quick." The girl smirked, brushing her fire red hair from her face. Still it rested over one of her eyes. Misora saw this as an advantage. That bright red hair reached the girls waist and was let down. Misora couldn't miss that hair anywhere and it could get in that girls view so very easily.

The two just stood there, staring the other down, judging their abilities. Misora was clenching her arm that she injured on her way to the sea, she had blood slipping from the corner of her mouth, a gash in her leg and stomach, and blood secretly dripped from her forehead into her left eye, but this was hidden by her hair. She was also shaking, manly her left leg and she was grinding her teeth.

The girl with the fire red hair just casually stood there, pointing the blade at Misora. It was obvious she felt comfortable in the situation and she didn't have a single mark on her, just dirt. The smirk on her lips grew even more when her enemy collapsed to her knees, coughing up blood that gathered in her mouth. It was obvious it was her left leg that gave in and that her left arm wouldn't do her any good. The entire left half of her body – it was all useless. She took her chance to strike.

Three feet away and the blade was coming down on Misora, but at the same moment the blade kept in her right boot came out as she sprung forward, spinning on her right foot, and striking back. The girl noticed and forced her body to move right as she spun around as well to keep her attack flowing. Both had left out some type of cry of pain. Misora fell on her rump, clenching her stomach that now had a gash fully across, not just some stab wound. The rouge nin clenched her left side as well, trying to stop the blood flow from the deep gash.

"Damnit! I was sure you were done for good!" The girl bark, using her sword as support. She glared at Misora, cursing her to hell as her white kimono stained red. "I'll end this now!" She raised her sword above her head with the tip of the blade inches from her own face. It stuck Misora in the shoulder and then end came out her lower back. A chuckle came from the rouge as she pushed down on the handle, cutting into Misora's collar bone and ripping her back open more. The girls emerald eyes sparked as they stared at the wide caramel eyes that reflected nothing but pain as tears flowed. Smokehid Misora's form from the girlwho gapped at the tree stump that remained.

Out from the trees the kunoichi sprang followed by two duplicates. Twoof the three ran ahead, preparing to strike the confused enemy, but vanished several feet before her. The real Misora came through the smoke, slicing the rouge nin from her throat to stomach on an angle. Crescent Moon Dance; an attack she picked up once moving to Konoha.

The red head collapsed with Misora doing the same right after.

Kibawas thrown against a tree as Naruto rolled across the ground. Naruto was being tossed around like a rag dollwhen the twohe ditched caught up andthe one who could merge with the trees. They were so close to being home, so close to being able to relax and have a day off. Now they wereso close to truly being defeated. Hopes and dreams, family and friends, everything they had worked for and everybody they lovedso dearly was so close to being gone foreverdue to a random ambush.

The three didn't even know what they were fighting for.


	4. Four: Compassion

A regular day was the clear blue sky with a few thin clouds passing by, the warm sun making it a great day to take a stroll in the streets, listening to the birds that sung a sweet melody as the day went by. Through the open window and gentle breeze made a white curtains sway and then they fell back into place. A bird landed on the window ledge, it's head darting around, but when it heard a voice telling someone to stop apologizing, it fled.

"I'm not gonna stop. You almost died and it would've been my fault because I made you run off like that without even thinking." The boy explained, shaking his head at himself, regretting that decision even though all ended well.

"Look Kiba, it was my choice to listen to you. You know if I wanted to I would've stayed with you, but I _chose _to do what you told me to and I put myself in that situation. I had a chance to escape her, but I didn't take because-"

"Because you were hurt!" Kiba butted in, earning a sharp glare from the girl in the bed.

"I may have been hurt, but I wasn't down. I was still able to fight a little, but does it really matter? I'm still alive." She finished, rolling her eyes at how much of a deal this was to him. She looked out the window, tilting her head a little so her choppy bangs covered her eyes, so Kiba couldn't see the feelings his words brought her.

"But you _did _die. What if they couldn't revive you, Sora?" There was something crawling up the girls throat, wanting to scream at the boy, but Misora bit her tongue – nobody was going to know how many weaknesses she has. It was also her aching muscles that couldn't be numbed that made her keep her mouth shut so she could grind her teeth together. Shutting her eyes, a tear slipped from her left eye, and the boy noticed. "What's wrong?"

She cursed herself, she cursed her family, she cursed everything that she could. That single tear cause by pain lead to waterworks caused by her bottled up emotions. "I hate you." She choked out, making the boy in the seat beside her bed chuckle. He moved to sit beside her on the bed, comforting her with a smile.

"Never thought I'd see you cry!" He joked around, causing her to repeat her herself. She fixed herself quickly and glared at the boy beside her, telling him to move his arm before she bit it off. "Same old Sora." He shrugged.

"You tell anyone I know how to cry and I'll put you in this place." She warned him, venom dripping from every syllable.

"Come on, Sora. Everybody knows you cry after the day you were screaming your lungs out when-" Kiba stopped himself noticing the aura around her and the fire that burned his her glare.

"Go on, Kiba. When what happened?" She pressured, but the boy waved it off, saying it's nothing. A twisted smirk crawled onto the girls lips as she said, "Just like it was nothing when I saved your ass from being beat by you mother…_right_?"

The boy sprang to his feet yelling, "You said you wouldn't speak of that!"

"And _nobody_ speaks of that day, but you were about to weren't you?" She shot right back.

"Everyone knows Sora! The story spread around like a wild fire!"

"Yeah, but only you and Sai know that I, ermm.." She snapped her head away, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"Oh come on, it's not even that big of a deal! You're-"

"Kiba!" Both their heads snapped over to the door where Sakura stood with an angry expression at the male. "Don't be yelling at Misora when she's on bed rest! And visiting hours are over so you have to go." She ordered crossing her arms at him. The blonde smirked.

"Awww, Kiba~ got in trouble~" She sung happily, laughing at the glare she got.

"Get well soon, Sora." The boy spat sarcastically on his way over, not even attempting to give an actual wave goodbye.

Both girls rolled their eyes and Sakura added, "You two fight like an old married couple and children, I swear," bringing Misora her medicine not realizing the glare the comment brought.

"Get the fuck out."


	5. Five: Lazy

**5: Lazy**

"So my mom was sent on a mission this morning," Kiba said, cutting the silence between him and Misora on the walk to nowhere. It was another usual day in Konoha and this was just the daily, usual walk they took Akamaru on. The girls eyebrows raised with interest, her caramel eyes glancing him for a split second.

"You must be thrilled," she stated simply.

Kiba made a noise as a reply and shrugged his shoulders. "She'll be home tonight for dinner and I gotta cook since Hana works nights now and that means I'll be eating _alone_ with my mom and if I don't make a real meal this time I'm screwed." The blonde rolled her eyes at the way he said it. with his tone, it sounded like making dinner was an A Ranked mission.

Then again, it was Kiba's mother and Misora wasn't much of a fan – the women _did _scare Kiba's father away.

Kiba stared at Misora, waiting for her to say something, but she kept quiet. He cleared his throat and still received no reply so he smacked her forearm. "What?" She snap and Kiba waved his hand around to say 'go on'. The girl groaned with an eye roll and reluctantly said, "_Kiba dear, _would you like me to help you with dinner?"

The boy forced a smile at her obviously fake innocent tone and kindly answered, "Why thank you, _Sora sweetie_, that'd be lovely."

"**Tch."** The two scoffed, snapping their heads away from each other.

"You know," Misora said, "just because I like to cook doesn't mean I always _want _to," she "kindly" informed him. "I was actually gonna go to Ichiraku's tonight," she muttered under her breath, but Kiba's enhanced hearing picked it up.

Now the brunette rolled his eyes and crossed his arms behind his head, giving an uncaring "Yeah, yeah," as a reply. His bullshitted reply earned him an elbow to the gut from the girl. His yelling was cut off by a bitter, 'you damn well know what that was for' and after an 'oh yeah?' Kiba grabbed her arm, biting it for payback.

She yelped, hitting him the back of the head with her free hand. He pulled his teeth out of her arm and rubbed his head, returning the favor. Their pathetic little cat fight broke out. The next few hits were easily blocked, but great minds think alike and the two punched each other square in the nose simultaneously

How 'dear' and 'sweetie' always turn into some kind of fight was something that could never be explained.

_**Tralala.**_

It wasn't long until Misora was in Kiba's kitchen, cutting up onions and letting chicken marinate. The boy was sitting at the kitchen table, watching her cook while patting Akamaru's head with his chair leaning back against the wall. "You should do this more often. Whatever you got in the pan smells great and ya know? You look good in an apron, plus what you made at your place when we and Naruto were there was amazing," Kiba continued to go on, praising her cooking skills, but Misora wasn't one to be fooled by flattery. Fully aware of where against the wall he was leaning on, he asked if she was making enough to have leftovers when the kitchen knife she was using stuck into the wall, too close to his head for comfort.

He remained frozen, watching the girl stalk towards him with another knife in her hand. She yanked the knife from the wall and held the tip of the blade an inch from his face and leaned down to his level, a murderous look gleaming in her eyes that were visible for once. "I came to _help._ Get your ass up and cut the pork before I chuck another knife at you."

She left the knife in his hands and went to finish chopping vegetable as if nothing happened. Kiba groaned as he rose to his feet, slugging his way over to help. "I was really hoping you'd just do it yourself, you know," he pointed out the obvious, getting the pork from the fridge.

"But then we would have this time to bond, honey," Misora smiled at the boy's un-amused look. "Cut it into bite size pieces and cut the fat off," she ordered, dropping more veggies into the pan and then checking on the rise.

"You're staying for dinner though." Kiba stated, getting to work, but not looking at her. The blonde just gave him a skeptical look and scoffed.

"Right," sarcastically dripped.

"I'm not eating alone with my mother. **You're staying.**"

Looks were exchanged and shortly after, Misora was ripping off her apron, heading for the door, but Kiba clung to her instantly, refusing to let her leave. Akamaru barked at Misora trying to leave as well and it was a battle that made them topple to the floor, but it didn't end there. She tried to crawl away, kicking the boy off, but he kept making grabs trying to hold her down and drag her back into the kitchen.

"Misora, stop it! You're not going, I'm not gonna be alone with this women!"

"Get the fuck off, I got places to be! I hate her! She hates me! You want things broken?"

"Gahh, stop it, she hates everyone!"

"THE FOODS BURNING." Misora's natural reaction came out and she shoved him off with all her might, quickly tending to the veggies in the pan. Damn her force of habits that made Kiba smirk.


	6. Six: Encouragement

**6: ****Encouragement **

Dinner was almost done, it just needed the finishing touches. Misora was tossing around the veggies as Kiba drained the rice, the steam making him shake his head. There was a tense silence between the two since the blonde was still ticked about having to stay and Kiba wasn't happy about being kicked in the face. He set the rice down and leaned against the counter, trying to figure out the best way to tell Sora the news.

"Hana's training a new vet," he started out, earning a quick, questioning glance from the girl. "It's why she's working nights now. She trains the girl during the day and then finishes her own things at night. Her name is Yami."

Misora set the wooden spoon down and turned to Kiba. Her arms crossed over her chest as a smirk danced on her face. "You want her don't you?" Her blunt question made Kiba's red cheeks gain more color as he pushed himself off the counter to pace around the kitchen.

"Why do you have to say it like that?" Kiba yelled at her, blood boiling from his embarrassment.

"I'm surprised, Kiba," she mused. "I thought you could 'get any girl because you're _so_ sexy'." Misora snickered, quoting the brunette.

"Well she's different!" He barked, making the girl shut up and stare. Kiba went into a rant, explaining how this Yami girl was so sweet and innocent. According to him, she had big eyes that made her cute, but she had a hot body. He nearly slapped himself for saying the body comment which made Misora even more confused. "She's just so sweet and pretty, she reminds me of a puppy and she loves Akamaru! I get nervous every time I'm around her, Sora. Me! And I don't get nervous!" Kiba was getting so flustered and mad at himself that the end of his moment was signaled by a facewall.

Misora wanted to puke. She wanted to slap him. She wanted nothing to do with something like this.

But realizing Kiba was actually serious about liking this girl she tried to encourage him. Her hand patted him on the back and she went off saying, "Come on, Kiba. You don't have to get your panties in a bunch. I'm sure she likes you, I mean you're…" she was stuck. Trying to think of the positives, she heard a cricket in her head.

"You're…nice…sweet…caring, and you know how to make a girl laugh," the sarcasm and fact she was putting no effect into helping him made Kiba's face rise from the wall to give her a glare that could kill.

"I hate you," he simply said and went to the fridge to get a cold drink to calm his nervous.

"Well what do you want me to say? You know I'm horrible with this crap." Misora hissed, brushing her bangs out of her face. Kiba said nothing so she just stared at him, biting the inside of her cheek. She needed something and even though she was always there to bring down his ego, this time was different. "Take off your shirt."

He choked. "Why?"

"Take off your shirt."

"No!"

Misora stomped her way to him, telling him to take it off again, but he fought her off. She was clawing for the zipper on his jacket and Kiba was smacking her hands away to keep his clothes on. "I'm trying to make a point here!"

"Fine!"

They both sighed in annoyance as Misora took a step back, muttering an insult under her breath with Kiba doing the same. He unzipped his hoodie and yanked it off just to throw it in the floor and pulled his shirt over his head. "I really don't see the point in this."

Misora was back to stirring the food and taking it off the stove as she began to give him an ego boost. "Look you're always saying that you can get any girl you want. Yami is a girl and you want her so you should be able to get her, but you're being a pussy and instead of doing something, you're slamming your head into a wall. Now, I'm just one person who hates giving compliments and you know that, so you shouldn't be getting pissed at me when I can't think of anything, but I will admit this. When you have a body like that, girls will want you." She finished, pointing to his abs with the wooden spoon.

When Misora laid her eyes on his torso, she simply froze. It had been quite sometime since Kiba had a reason to take his shirt off and Misora saw the changes he made. Kiba noticed her reaction and that was all he needed to get back to being his cocky self.

The girl just turned back around, pretending to stir the food and held her gloved hand over her nose, trying to stop the blood flow.

"Heh..you're a perv, Sora."

_**Tralala.**_

After the long, silent, and tense dinner, Kiba and Misora were sitting in the street in front of the boys house, gazing at the sky and complaining about the meal. Misora still had much to say since Kiba cut the argument short and Hana didn't arrive until they were already done eating. She was calling Kiba's mom names and talking to herself, saying things like "I may have some tits, but I don't use 'em for anything, stupid old bi—"

"You know what, Sora?" Kiba cut her off, smiling to himself. He hadn't been listening to a sinlge thing the blonde was saying, but it's not like she cared.

"Hmm?" she hummed, staring at her male friend. He had a sincere look on his face and his deep brown eyes were sparking as they gazed at the stars.

"You're right, I am being a pussy…with Yumi. So tomorrow I'm gonna ask her to the Sakura Festival," he told her, turning his head to smile at her, a single fang poking out of his mouth. The girls eyebrow arched in surprise, but she only muttered 'that's nice'.

There was a smirk she was trying to hold back as thoughts stirred in her head as she rose to her feet, brushing the dirt off her rump. "I'm gonna head home. See yeah," she lazily waved over her shoulder while walking away. She barely even heard Kiba's 'later' that he said so quietly, surprised that she just suddenly wanted to leave.

Kiba was back inside, listening to his mom rant about the girl that was walking down their block and Misora was in her own little world, thinking about what she'd be doing tomorrow since Kiba already had a plan. Maybe she'd find Sai and follow him around or go bug Tsunade about a mission again. No matter what she'd do, she knew something was going to happen. That feeling in her gut hadn't pestered her for quite some time now and it was strong enough to make her leave Kiba in the middle of the street.

'_You're just being paranoid, Sora. What could possibly happen here out of all places?'_


	7. Seven: Distant

**7: Distant**

Kiba was on his way to train with his team, Akamaru close to his side. He was glad he could get out and spar with someone since that pain in the back he called a friend hadn't been around for three days. He had no idea where Misora was – probably forgot to inform him about a new mission again – but there was an uneasy feeling he repeatedly pushed aside. Akamaru did the same.

They trained for hours, working on taijutsu, jutsus, and a new team strategy. Hinata was improving greatly and Shino's strength was increasing more each day. Kurenai was no longer teaching them, but watch for a fatal mistake and pointing it out if they didn't do so themselves. She was so proud of them. It seemed last week she was meeting her squad just outside the academy walls.

When it was getting late in the day, they headed out to eat since their last team meal was a while ago. It was all the same; same food, same conversations, same atmosphere until Kurenai became curious as to a certain girls state.

"Kiba, how's Misora doing by the way?" The kunoichi asked with concern, knowing the brunette was close with her and realizing he wasn't exactly himself. Though Kiba just gave her a shrug without even making eye contact. He was eyeing the piece of pork that was still on the grill.

"I haven't seen her in three days," he said nonchalantly and popped the meat into his mouth. "She's probably on a mission," he said between bites.

Kurenai's eyebrows knitted together in confusion. The crimson eyed sensei was getting the idea that Kiba hadn't heard the news, but she waited it out. He had to know if Misora was like a sister to him. "I wouldn't think Lady Hokage would send her out on a mission so soon."

He still wasn't catching on. "Her last mission out of the village was a while ago. She's been bugging Tsunade for one, but she just hasn't been needed more anything," the boy shrugged, ignoring that feeling in his gut again. "Besides, you know how Sora is. Always doing what she wants, when she wants," he waved.

That was when Kurenai knew for a fact Kiba really was clueless as to what happened. Even Hinata and Shino picked up and stopped eating. Surprisingly, Shino was the one who was willing to inform the boy. "Kiba…do you know what happened to Misora-san the other day? Out of all people you should know." He earned an 'ehh' from Kiba and Akamaru's head rose as he whimpered at his master. Kiba patted his head. "She was attacked."

His gut had been right. Now he was speechless. He had questions in his head, but the only thing they knew was that two strangers just ambushed Misora in the middle of the road when she was taking a walk with Sai. They vanished when a more came to help and they left Misora screaming at the top of her lungs in the street. She was released from the hospital the next day, but wouldn't say a word to anyone except Tsunade. They told him the rumors as well, but he didn't want to hear about those, he wanted the truth.

Kiba went to her apartment after eating with the team. He had messages to deliver from them, but he'd probably forget. He was knocking on the door of her rundown home, but no one was answering and the door was locked. He continued to pound on the door and call her name, but he couldn't even hear anything from inside. Then he heard a thump that made his ear twitch.

Using his chakra to get inside, he was greeted by a fist flying towards his face, but he ducked at the last second. "Sora! Stop, it's me!" He yelled, catching her flying fists, but then she tripped him. His let go of her hands when he hit the floor and then felt her weight on his chest. A hand clenched his throat as the other remained balled and ready to strike. Kiba dark orbs stared at her with one eye cracked open, Akamaru's deep, loud barks filling the room. His eye locked with a single caramel one as the other was hidden behind bandages.

She striked.

**Tralala.**

"I'm sorry. I had to make sure you weren't Matsu or Keika," Misora explained, holding an ice pack out to Kiba as she took a seat beside him on the couch. He took it and pressed it to his swollen jaw, right where Misora hit with all the power she could. It hurt to talk.

"Who're they?" He mumbled, eyeing the girl. She faced the wall, only letting Kiba see half of her face – the left side that was mostly covered by bandages. She didn't answer right away, it seemed like she trying to pick out the right words. That or she was just in her own little world. "Sora, look at me," he demanded, but the blonde didn't hear. He made her turn to sit facing him, but even so, the one eye he could see told him she was in her own little world.

"I'm a uragirimono." A traitor. It came out in a whisper, confusing the boy even more. "They finally found me," she scoffed. "My own father didn't even face me. He sent my older siblings." Nothing was answering his questions, it just seemed like she was trying to confuse him, trying to push him away so she wouldn't let the truth slip out. The white bandages began turning red where her eye should have been, making Misora bury her head in her knees. She was shaking and muttering something, but Kiba could hear it.

'I can't live with this pain.'

Akamaru rested his head on the couch beside the broken girl, whimpering for just a moment. He nudged arm, but it did nothing. Even though he sat beside, even though he was trying to comfort her, Kiba felt like he didn't know her. Was it really three days ago they saw each other? Because this wasn't the Sora he knew. The Sora he knew would never be so feeble. She would have said, 'that's what you get for breaking into my house' after she punched him. She should be laying across her couch saying her injury is no big deal.

How much time will it take for her to heal?

Kiba was stuck. Tomorrow was the Sakura Festival. Does he tend to his date or the girl who's possibly gone insane?


	8. Eight: Dissemble

**Eight: Dissemble.**

It was early in the day with dark grey clouds blocking the clear blue sky and warming sun. The smell of oncoming rain was thick in the air and making people wonder if the Sakura Festival would still be held or postponed. Only a few people were already out and slowly preparing for the floods of people that would be roaming the streets in the evening. The weather only put Kiba in a more irritated mood.

He was on his morning walk with Akamaru, but heading towards a crippled girl's apartment instead on taking the usual route. He had to at least check up on her or else she'd have something to use against him later on. On the way, he stopped in at an open restaurant that was already filled with wonderful scents and ordered a bag of dangos to go in order to sweeten Misora up before telling her about his date that he had to worry about as well.

The brunette looked away from the children playing with marbles as he rounded the corner and cocked an eyebrow at the glimpse of a deep red tattered kimono turning the corner a block down. Before it was completely out of sight, a gust of wind blew towards him, carrying the scent of the streets with a small hint of kiwis and the Shimakaze clan. Kiba picked up his pace to a steady jog with Akamaru trotting right behind and when he turned the corner he saw that girl chatting with an elderly couple a few meters ahead. Slowly, he crept up behind her to not draw attention.

"-we can always get our grandson help you as well," the old man chuckled, causing Misora to wave his offers off.

"Don't trouble yourselves or your grandson; I'm just fine; really Cho-san."

"Now, now Misora-chan, someone has to look after a young girl like you," the women chipped in, "you can't always do things yourself." That was when the old man caught Kiba's eye and smiled at him. Misora noticed his eyes flick away from her and craned her neck to see the boy with her good eye.

"What're you doing here?" Kiba said he came to check up on her as Akamaru went to her outstretched hand. She knelt down to his level, stretching the dog behind the ears as he licked her cheeks. She gave no reply when she caught a glimpse of the old folks faces from the corner of her eye – such assuming people. "What's in the bag?" She asked instead.

"Oh yeah," Kiba remembered. "I brought you some dangos from that place a few streets over. The one with the people who yell a lot," he told her, holding out the bag, which she took instantly while rising up. She fished out a dango stick and shoved the whole pink dumpling into her mouth at once.

Her eye flickered to Kiba and she stopped chewing. "Shouldn't you be getting ready for a date?" As Kiba started to tell her why he was there and about the festival plans, Misora was already nodding goodbye to the old folk and walking away. "See ya," she called without even looking back or waving to her confused friend.

Misora never made any sense.

The elderly couple kept Kiba from following her, bombarding him with questions about the twos relationship. Apparently, Misora mentioned him a lot. Finally being able to get away, he followed her scent down the streets, but – as if she knew he'd follow – he came to a sudden end.

By then, the sky had cleared and it seemed like nothing was going to stop the Festival now.

Due to limited time, Kiba didn't spend much more time looking for her. Besides, he got the green light to out on his date, right? "What am I doing? I don't need her approval," he scoffed to himself. He stretched his arms over his head and thought about what was to come: spending the evening with a cute girl attached to his arm and just having fun. No mother there to yell. No sister to make fun of him and how into the girl he was. Hell; there wasn't even gonna be any Misora from what he knew. However, she could easily pop up. She was pretty good at doing that.

_**Tralala~**_

All worrying was gone once he went to meet up with his date.

Weaving through the crowded, trying to get to the meeting point, Kiba's confidence was rising with each passing second. The 'pep talk' Misora gave him was replaying in his head and surprisingly it was working. Between the smiling faces, he saw his date just up ahead with her hair tied back and he gave his yukata one more final adjustment before wandering into her view point.

The whole Sakura Festival thing confused Misora more than it should have. She waddled her way between the people, eyeing at all the games, food, and fancy get ups. She felt so out of place in her tattered old excuse for a kimono, the bandaging wrapped around her head, her boots, the blade hidden in the right one, her gloves, padding, and kunai pouch – she had seen barely anyone still in their ninja attire.

There were so many new faces as well. She never took time to noticed people until now, seeing as how everyone with grinning. 'Where the hell is he?' She thought, leaning against a post to try and spot out Kiba and his date. Asking what he'd be doing would have been a good idea so she could just be the awkward third wheel she had grown accustomed to being, but if he really didn't want her around she could always claim Akamaru as her date and be on her way. She needed more friends.

Hearing a bark, she turned her head to the right and smirked when Akamaru's large head popped its way thru people. Pushing herself off the post, Misora met him halfway and not to far behind the dark she saw Kiba with a girl on his arm. "Ahaha- ehh, oh hey, Sora."

It was the '[name] meet [name] – [name] meet [name]' situation between Misora and Kiba's date, Yumi. She was adorable. Her long chestnut colored hair was pulled back and a white flower was tucked behind her ear. She had big dark brown doe eyes with thick eyelashes framing them and a beauty mark on her cheek. Yumi was even the 'tiny, but cute' girl wearing the light purple kimono with silver detailing that made you stare. "It's nice to meet you," even her voice sounded _adorable_.

Misora nodded to acknowledge her. "Hey, didn't you go shopping with Tenten a few days ago? For a kimono?" Kiba asked, frowning at her clothing.

"Didn't have money to buy one. Besides, I'm leaving for a mission in a few hours," she informed him. "I bugged Tsunade till she gave me something. That's why I didn't stay to chat this morning," she shrugged and brushed her bangs from her right eye. After Kiba's muttered 'ahh' there was an awkward silence between them. Kiba broke it by saying him and Yumi were going to go place some games or get something to eat and began wandering off before the light blonde haired girl said anything. She sighed heavily and waved her hand lazily, "Come on, Akamaru."

Akamaru didn't want to trail too far from his master so they followed the couple with a few meters separating them. As the two were tasting some sweets, Misora went over to a booth that hand all sorts of pries dangling above the game. It was cork shooting. She didn't plan on actually playing or anything, but the man running the game asked if she wanted a go and Kiba and Yumi were still giggling in the same place. She looked at Akamaru and he just gave a quick tilt of the head as if it was a shrug. Fishing some money from her undershirt –since she had no pockets- and an overstuffed koi fish was hers.

Rolling her eyes at what was _still_ going on, she went a few booths over to a vender that was selling masks. Boy, did she hate romance. She bought one for herself and a red and silver scarf she spotted to tie around Akamaru's thick neck. Her licked her hand in thanks. Kiba and Yumi were finally on the move to go look at the lanterns hanging in the Sakura trees so the two trailed behind after buying some sweets. The fish was tucked under Misora's arm, the mask placed along the bandaged side of her face, one hand held some dangos and the other had treats for Akamaru who took one as he please.

They took a seat under a tree and waited for the fireworks to start. Yumi's dark eyes glanced over at Akamaru whose head was resting in Misora's lap further off. "Should we ask them to come over?" Yumi asked, making the brunette realize that they weren't clinging to them. He shrugged and leaned on his hands while eyeing them.

"They seem to be enjoying themselves," he mused as a pang of guilt hit his stomach for ignoring them all night. It vanished when he saw a guy walking up to her and just like that, she was up and Akamaru was heading back to his masters side. Misora sent the three a small wave and headed out on her mission with an unknown face who she playfully elbowed after he made some comment.

_**Tralala~**_

The fireworks were going off at last, filling the sky with bright bursts of reds, greens, blues, oranges, and everything else in between. The booms covered the 'ooh's' and 'ahh's' coming from the people at the festival and made it difficult to hear the orders the Jounin gave to Misora and her temporary teammates. Misora was in a complete daze when the show began. She had never seen fireworks before.

Much further away, Kiba was in the same state of mind, Yumi's words ringing in his head. 'I think you should have spend tonight with someone else.' Now he was on the hillside with Akamaru and other couples scattered all around. Yumi left, saying that if you watch the fireworks with someone, you'll fall in love with them. She said that she probably wasn't the right person to be watching them with. He tried to make her stay, he told her that a stupid charm shouldn't ruin the night, but she insisted she'd go.

"It's not like a charm could work when you're miles apart anyway," Kiba grumbled without even thinking.

"Hey, are you alright?" The voice and hand touching her arm, made Misora shake her head as she tore her eyes away from the bursts of color. She blinked at the red eyes staring at her and then nodded. Yuji gave a crooked smile, "Well come on then." Up ahead his sensei and teammate were already heading out, leaving the two behind. He started to run off, pulling Misora with him and laughed as she complained about how upbeat he was.


End file.
